The Zombie in Your Office
Is there a ROAD Warrior in your office? Do you walk and work with a Zombie? Maybe so according to Senior Correspondent Mike Causey.
At one time or another, maybe even right now, all of us have worked with a Zombie. That is someone who shows up every day, even though they have mentally retired.
They are evenly distributed between the federal government and private industry. In the military they are known as ROAD Warriors. Most of their waking, work hours are spent in planning for retirement.
For instance, consider this e-mail from a fed who is fed up with feds who are just putting in time and who constantly complain about their jobs, bosses, mission, etc: 
The gentleman asking for a $25k incentive to retire demonstrates by his attitude that he is actually retired already. In the military the term we used for such ilk is “ROAD soldiers”-meaning “Retired on Active Duty.”
Instead of looking at ways to make a meaningful contribution to his organization, such as mentoring his less experienced co-workers, this individual no doubt seeks ways to look busy without actually making a contribution.
In my own family, my father was a University professor until at age 84 a stroke forced him to retire. My mother ran a university health clinic until at age 81 she retired to provide more care for my father. In both cases, they say that their mentoring the next generations kept their minds engaged and gave them a purpose in life which they now miss greatly.
Organizations that foster a sense of team-work, organizational pride, and esprit de corps recognize the contributions that all make, regardless of age, ethnicity, or disability. Workers in such organizations seek ways to provide “value added” to their duties. This work environment is only created and sustained by leadership.
The writer by his own admission provides no value added to his organization, and simply ought to get on with his life without reducing himself to mercenary status by requiring a financial incentive to rid his organization of his dead weight. Rick B.
Postal People: Stand Up Guys & Gals
When it comes to standing tall and working hard, Postal workers are at the top of the list. Consider this response, to a previous column about early retirement, from a USPS guy who has been around:
You are contrasting the opinions on early retirement, putting together responses from blue collar Postal employees with the opinions written by GSA and IRS white collar administrators and accountants. This is not fair. Postal clerks are truck drivers, freight loaders, manual mail and package sorters … basically manual workers. Accountants at the other government operations do paperwork and go to meetings.
You know about the Post Office after all the years you have written on the subject. Even postal meeting are called “stand-ups” ’cause that is what all the attendees do: stand up in a warehouse type facility to hear management talk. I bet at IRS they sit drinking coffee for their meetings.
The Administrators make much more money too. A senior Postal Clerk earns around $50K. After 35 years their CSRS pension after insurance is paid is around $25K a year. And remember, they cannot also get Social Security even if they worked and contributed to that plan.
When you write about retiring early and if people can afford to do so to help out Uncle Sam (and themselves of course) please be fair and differentiate. Sure white collar folks age, but not being called to do hands on muscle work, age is not as much as an issue for them. Visit a Post Office and in the back see 5′ tall 60 year old women struggle to lift and sort heavy packages and you will appreciate my comments more.” Mark The Box Clerk
Nearly Useless Factoid
The average U.S. household
To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com
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